You’re probably thinking: How could this be true of a man who wears such a magnificent purple robe? And, with the announcement coming this close to Halloween, will my costume be sending the wrong message?

Potter fanatic Sarah Christensen, 24, said she never detected a hint of Dumbledore’s sexuality in the book. Not that she was looking, because seriously, isn’t Dumbledore too old for her anyway?

“Honestly, I don’t know why she chose to reveal that now,” Christensen said. “Maybe it is great that she said it so nonchalantly, because it’s not a big deal and doesn’t distract from the series.”

Many put their noses back in books to look for hints Dumbledore was gay all along. Props to the Los Angeles Times for finding the best clue: The name, Albus Dumbledore, is an anagram for “male bods rule, bud.”

It also spells “bald dome bus rule,” though I’m not sure that’s a clue for anything.

The announcement raises many other questions, too, like, what’s the over/under on how many people will wear a Dumbledore outfit at the next pride parade? And what should you call a gay wizard for short? (Hint: Gayzard).

Could you imagine if other authors suddenly announced things that weren’t written in their books? (This never came up, but Frankenstein’s monster always wanted to scuba-dive.)

The announcement probably gave Catholics, who already hated a series that focused on witchcraft, another reason to avoid the book.

But true Potter fans, like Christensen, said the announcement doesn’t change the way they feel about Dumbledore.

“I still love him,” she said.

I think we can all still love Dumbledore — but only as a friend.

Staff writer Kevin Haas didn’t put one joke about Sen. Larry Craig in this column, because he doesn’t know who Sen. Larry Craig is (politics bore him). Haas can be reached at 815-544-3452 or khaas@rrstar.com.